If you are unhappy with small breasts but afraid of having Breast Implants read on. With today’s almost obsessive focus on cleavage and a full chested look in fashion, movies, and celebrity magazines like “People,” it is not surprising that many women are concerned about this issue. Being small breasted creates a challenge when picking out a bikini, evening gown and even work fashions.

If you wish you had bigger breasts but are afraid of breast implants or if you want to regain the fullness that you had before having children or losing weight, there are options other than implants or surgical augmentation. Newer more natural techniques do exist but are most effective for small to moderate enlargement.

Techniques for Enlargement

• BRAVA Non-Surgical Expansion- the BRAVA device is an external tissue expander for your small breast. It consists of two suction or vacuum cups custom molded for your shape which gently pulls on the skin and gland. Surprisingly good results have been achieved with BRAVA. Increase in size of 90 to 300 ccs has been achieved with a mean of 155cc. One cup is 236cc’s and the average increase in size, 155cc’s is close to ¾ cup. This is substantial. The device has to be worn for 11 hours a day but Sport Model is made to accommodate activity. Average duration of wearing the device is 10 months.

• Fat Transfer - Your own body fat can be harvested from one area of the body and transferred or injected into the small breast to enlarge it. This is advertised as the “Natural Augmentation.” Typically fat is harvested or removed from the buttocks or tummy. This surgical procedure can increase size by about 150-200 cc’s, close to a cup size. The most widely accepted technique uses the BRAVA system first to create space for the injected fat. This technique is new and long term studies on safety are not yet available. The American Society of Plastic Surgery has not yet endorsed this Fat Transfer procedure as safe.

• Surgical Augmentation- Augmentation using Implants is a widely practiced safe Plastic Surgery Procedure. Millions of women live normal lives with Implants. There are of course always risks undergoing surgery but enlarging small breasts with Implants is a very common, medically accepted safe procedure. Average size increase is about 300 cc’s although that is increasing in today’s culture, with 400-500 and even 600 cc’s not uncommon. Breast Implants are still the choice for enlarging the breast for most people-see photo below to create a fuller breast after pregnancy.

Before and after Breast Augmentation for small breast after pregnancy

How do you decide?

• BRAVA- if you are concerned about having surgery and you only want to increase your size a cup or less the Brava system is a good choice. Be aware that it will take time and you will have to deal with the inconvenience of wearing the device for many months 11 hours a day.

• Fat Transfer- the appeal of Fat Transfer is that you are using your own tissue not an Implant. However this is a new procedure. While studies have shown that Fat Transfer does not interfere with Mammograms we await long term safety studies.

• Implants- this remains the most popular time proven method for enlarging small breasts. It is widely available and there is a flexible range of sizes and shapes of Implants to accommodate every need.

Consult with an Expert

If you are considering any surgical procedure consult at least two Plastic Surgeons certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. A listing of experienced Cosmetic Surgeons in your area can be found at the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons.

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